Guide-vane.



F. SCHMIDT.`

GUIDE VANEL APPLICATION FILED MAY 22. |915.

l. 924:@5 @v Patented Nov. 27, 191'?.

s A Eric.

EEANZ SCHMIDT, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, AssIGNoE 'ro ALEIs-CHALMEESMANUFACTURING COMPANY, or MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A CoEPoEAIrICN 0FDELAWARE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

GUIDE-VANE.

Patented Nov. 2t', :with

" 'Application nled may 22, 1915. Serial No. 30,286.

i To aZVZ whom it may concern.'

Be it known that FRANZ SC'HMIUI', a citi- .zen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State ofWisconsin, has invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Guide-Vanes, of which the following is a specliication. l

rJihis invention relates to improvements 1n the Construction of turbinegate mechanisms l and especially to improvements in guide vaneconstruction.`

An object of the invention is to provide a ide vane for motive Huid,which is simple 1n construction and eflicient in operation. Several ofthe more specific objects of the invention maybe enumerated as follows:

To provide a guide vane in which the cost of yconstruction is reduced toa minimum by eliminating the necessity of grinding the guiding surfacesof the vane. o

To provide a guide vane in which the warping which often occurs whenconstructing guide vanes of cast metal, such as steel, is eliminated.

To provide a lguide vane of minimum weight, thereby facilitating thehandling of the vane both during the machining operations and duringinstallation of the same.

To provide a relatively exible guide vane which will permit tighterclosing of the gate than is permitted with the'use of cast steel andiron guide vanes.

To provide a guide vane which will. be stronger and not so readilybroken by 1mpact with other objects, .as are the cast metal guide vanesat present in use. y

To provide an efficient guide vane which may be readily constructed ofsheet material, either in several sections or in one piece.

To provide simple and efficient means for bracinga sheet metal guidevane. l

To provide various improved details of construction specific to guidevanes having sheetmetal guiding portions. i

A clear conception of several embodiments of the invention may be had byreferring to the -drawing accompanying and forming a part of thisspecification in which like reference characters designate the same orsimilar parts inthe variousviews.

Figure l isa plan view of a guide vane .applicable to outside gateriggings.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the Fig 3 is a fragmentary elevation of a guidevane and its pivot shaft, applicable to inside gate riggings Fig. 4 is aview looking at one end cf the guide vane disclosed in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a view lookin at the opposite end of the guide vane disc osedin Fig 3i Hydraulic turbine gate riggings of either'A the inside or theoutside type generally comprise a circular series of movable guide vaneswhich are adjustable each about its own pivot, to vary the size of theopening leading to the turbine. It has been customary in the prior'artto form these movable guide vanes of either" cast iron, cast steelz orother cast metal. The present infusion Aof metal,.as.by weldin at thejoint 6.

vention contemplates forming the movable guide vanes of Sheet metal,preferably sheet steel, in orderl to eliminate various dimcultiesencountered with the rior devices, and also to produce a more eilicientvane, at a lower cost of construction.

- Referring specifically to Figs. 1 and 2, the guide vane comprisesessentially a plane guiding sheet 1, a curved guiding sheet 2 and anactuating element or stein 3 loca between the sheets. The guide vanedisclosed in these {igures'is especially' appli- 'cable to an outsidegate rigging, the actuating mechanism being applied to the projectingend of the stem 3 adjacent the bearing portion 5. The sheets 1,2, ifformed of,I

separate pieces as disclosed, are united by and have their opposite eges united by means of rivets 7. ,lt should however be understood thatitis not necessary to utilize the welded joint 6 or rivets 7 asdisclosed,l as any other eective form of fastening might be substitutedin order to produce a union between the sheets 1,2. The stem 3 has; anintermediate flattened portion 8 provided with substantially lanesurfaces which engage adjacent sur aces of the sheets l, 2. The stem 3which is preferably forged of steel, has substantially equalcross-sectional areas throughout its length and is secured to the lanesurfaces of the portion 8^by means of rivets 9 or any other suitablefastening. Cylindrical bearing portions 4, 5, are formed on the shaft 3adJacent the portion 8, and normally coact with suitable bearings in thestationary frame of the turbine.

i llf necessary, the sheets. 1, 2, may be stiffened by the use ofbracing elements either at i litt@ litt il Il@ alone ma be used. Each ofthe stay-plates 10 ispre erably secured directly Yto the guiding sheet 2on the bulged side of the vane, and has its opposite end engaging anotch or recess in the stem 3. As' disclosed, some of the rivets 9 whichsecure'the sheets 1, 2,'

tothe stem 3 are also utilized to fasten the plates 10 to the stem 3 andto the adjacent sheet 1. By arranging the stay-plates 10 as disclosed,an effective truss for supporting the sheet 2 is provided.

Referring specifically to Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the uide vane comprisesessentially a plane gui ing sheet 12, a curved guiding sheet 13, and apair of end portions 16, 17, one at each end of the sheets 12, 13. Theguide vane disclosed in these figures is especially applicable to insidegate riggings, the actuating mechanism being applled to the vane at apin normally fitted in the socket 21 formed 1n the end portion 17. Ifthe sheets 12, 13, are formed as separate pieces as disclosed, they arepreferably umted by fusion of metal, as by welding, at the joint 20, andhave their opposite edges united by means of rivets 19. It shouldhowever be understood that it is not necessary to utilize a welded joint20 or rivets 19, as disclosed, as any other effective form of fasteningmight be substituted in order to produce a union between the two sheets.The end portion 16 has surfaces which engage surfaces of the sheets 12,13, and is secured to these sheets by means of rivets 18 or any othersuitable fastening. The end portion 17 has surfaces which engageadjacent surfaces of the sheets 12, 13, and is secured to these sheetsby means of rivets 18. The portions 16 17 have alined bores within whichare fitted the concentric bea-ring bushings 15. The bushings 15 normallycoact with a stationary shaft 14 which forms the pivot about which thevane is movable. If necessary, the guide vane disclosed in Fi s. 45 and5 may also be rovided with bracing elements, as disclosed) in Fig. 2.

As sheet metal ordinarily has fairly smooth surfaces, the use of thismaterial in the construction of guide vanes eliminates necessity ofgrinding the guiding surfaces, which is ordinarily necessary in theconstruction of ,cast metal vanes. The warping which often occurs whencast metal vanes cool, such warping generally being due todefective`formation of the mold or to unequal shrinkage of the metal, isalso eliminated by the use of sheet metal in constructing the vane. Asthe characteristics of sheet metal especially its relatively hightensile strength as compared with that of cast metal, permit the use ofrelatively thin material, the weight of the guide vane may be materiallyreduced by forming it of sheet metal, thereby facilitating handling ofthe vane both during the machining operations and during installation ofthe same.

As the relatively thin guiding portions of a vane formed of sheet metalmay be readil distorteda slight amount, the use of suc vanes will permittighter closing of the gates than is at present permitted with the useof cast steel and iron ide vanes. The fact that the sheet material ismore flexible than the cast material, also prevents the lsheet materialvane from breaking, due to impact with other objects. While bothconstructions disclosed in the drawings show the guiding portions 1, 2,12, 13, as formed of separate sheets united by welded and rivetedjoints, it should be understood that the ,vane may be formed of a singleplate of .sheet material.

It should be understood that it is not desired to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodications will occur to a person skilled in the art. v

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent,-

1. As an yarticle of manufacture, a movable guide vane having guidingortions formed of sheet metal, means secure to said sheet metal portionsand having surface contact therewith, and a pivot associated with saidmeans.

2. As an article of manufacture, a movable guide vane having guidingportions formed of sheet metal, and a stem upon which said guide vane ismovable, said stem being rigidly secured to at least one of said guidingportions and having surface contact therewlth.

3. As an article of manufacture, a movable guide vane having guidingportions:

formed of sheet metal, said portlons being united by fusion of metal,means adjacent the ends of said vane for movably supporting the same,and means affording surface contact with said guiding portionsforrigidly securing said supportin means thereto.

4. As an article of manu acture, a movable guide vane having guidingportions, one of said portions comprising a substantially plane sheet ofmetal and another of said portions comprising a curved sheet of metal,said sheets bein secured to each other by fusion of meta means securedto said sheet metal portions and having surface contact therewith, and apivot associated with said means.

5. As an article of manufacture, a guide vane having sheet metal guidingportions, a stem engaging at least one of said portions, and a bracingelement having an'end secured 10 with its opposite end.

naasniee to one of said guiding portions and engaging said stern withits opposite end.

6. As an article of manufactureta guide vane having two sheet metalguiding portions, a stem engagingone of said portions and having arecess therein adjacent said portion, and a bracing element having anend secured to the other of said guiding portions and engaging said stemat said recess

